What is the program?
The 28-Day Exemption – to transition to warm season grass provides Melbourne residents with the ability to use watering systems outside of the set watering times allowed under water restrictions to establish warm season grass.
The exemption applies to the establishment (watering) of warm season grass only. After the exemption period ends, applicants are subject to the full breadth of current watering restrictions – which prohibits the watering of grassed areas using a watering system during the day. After the 28-day exemption period expires, you can only use your watering system between 6 am – 10 am and 6 pm – 10 pm on your designated watering day. Or you can choose to water using a hand held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle at any time, on any day.
Warm season grass typically takes four weeks to establish its root network and to generally become quite resilient.
The exemption has been designed to help Melbourne households to invest in the long-term water efficiency of their garden by transitioning over to warm season grass.
Schools, commercial and industrial customers interested in establishing warm season grass should contact their local water retailer.
